The Unofficial Bleacher Report Red Carpet: The Quarterly MMA Awards

The sport of mixed martial arts has been plagued with a series of unfortunate events as of late. Kimo’s alleged death and subsequent resurgence, Alistair’s lingering hand injury, and Josh Barnett’s appetite for anabolic steroids have left the MMA blogosphere buzzing with trepidation.

In a stark contrast of news, B/R’s MMA section has, and still houses some of the best MMA contributors. As we proceed to the second half of an already delightful year, let us recognize some of the posts that, over the last quarter, have helped morph B/R into one of the best sites for MMA commentary.

In light of the recent ESPY Awards, we shall take a stroll on the proverbial red carpet.

Few can match the eloquence, passion and conviction in Dorothy Willis’s writings. Often illustrated with telling life principles and experiences, it is difficult to remain indifferent to an article by Dee.

It is a great conversation with the newly crowned light heavyweight champion, who at the time, was just days removed from facing the then undefeated champion, and possibly reestablishing Karate as a prevalent martial art.

BEST COMMENTATOR

Along with the thoughtfully crafted articles, the discussions are an integral aspect of the B/R experience. Irish Mike D rules the MMA comment threads with an iron keyboard. Never one to shy away from a candid assessment, Mike’s insightful, yet entertaining comments are always a welcomed-and sometimes expected-addition to a wide variety of topics.

If there ever were a community leader for that section, Mike D would make a solid candidate for the position. He also happens to be a terrific writer.

FUNNIEST COMMENT THREAD

As previously mentioned, B/R would not be the same without the great discussions we all partake in. Often times, the post is just as gratifying as the resulting comments. A great illustration to this point is THE MMA DAILY SCRAP’s post, Picking Ben Saunders over Mike Swick cost me a hook-up.

Fueled by DAILY SCRAP’s unique blend of informative MMA blogs and pop culture, the ensuing comments happen to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.

BEST NEWCOMER

The community has witnessed a steady rise in talented contributors over the last couple of months, and E. Spencer Kyte is proving to be the most poised newcomer.

In just under a month, Spencer has been active with 41 quality posts in the MMA section, landing in the top 20 spot in the process. Fedor Emelianenko: supremely talented, surprisingly unknown is more than worth the read, and Spencer, hopefully, will keep making great contributions to the section.

BEST COVERAGE OF JAPANESE MMA

MMA is a vast industry spanning across the globe. Although a hot bed for the sport, Japan’s MMA scene is relatively marginalized in the United States. In B/R however, Aki Kuwabara has offered some of the best coverage one could hope for.

D. Miller is one of the most insightful and thorough writers in the MMA community. He is a compelling wordsmith, who engages in a wide variety of topics that are sure to educate, engage, and, at times, entertain readers.

Flying Knee’s UFC 100 Tips/Predictionsis a visually rewarding article that is as concise as it is thorough. His subsequent previews for upcoming MMA events will certainly find an established and appreciative audience.

Voila! The preceding suggestions only represent one account of some articles that immensely enhanced the site’s visibility, and likely assisted aspiring writers in honing their penning skills. This list does not, by any means, constitute the entirety of the valued contributors in this section.

That is where you come in, fellow creatures. Share some of your most memorable reads; breed other categories away; share your valued posts, from established and newer subscribers alike. Remind us why this site is home to some of the best writers in the industry.

Let us celebrate the quality that is increasingly inherent to the MMA community on B/R!